Church of the Island

06/11/2026

Church of the Island family,

As Ashley and I are preparing to return home from the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando, I am so encouraged to report to you a few highlights from our meetings. This year the SBC...

- commissioned 63 new missionaries to countries all over the world.

- mobilized more than 60,000 people to help more than 2.5 million people in need and created 816,000 Gospel conversations... all through local churches around the world.

- voted to reinforce and clarify our belief that the Bible is our inerrant, God-given standard for ALL we do in life and in church.

- reaffirmed our commitment to the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

- recognized the need to minister to people with disabilities and their families.

- condemned racism and encouraged locking arms to support lawful immigration.

We as Christians can impact our generation best by embracing God’s presence and power in our lives through faithful obedience to His Word. I am excited as we surrender together and continue to run our race well.

Last weekend our middle and high school students attended camp and learned how to live life in God’s grace well. Many discovered their true identity in Christ and came home with lives changed.

This Monday, June 15 -Wednesday, June 17, our kids who have completed Kindergarten through 5th grade will enjoy a fun time of worship, teaching, crafts, games, and more! Pray for Olivia Collier, our Kids Worship Director and her team of volunteers as they minister this week. It’s not to late to sign up, so click the link below to register now.

Pray for us as we travel home and come hungry for God’s Word this Sunday as we continue in our series “Big Questions” from a passage in Revelation 20.

Love in Christ!
Pastor David

06/11/2026

UPCOMING at Church of the Island 🌞

We want to see you this summer! Join us at these upcoming events and on Sundays at 6PM.

06/04/2026

Church of the Island family,

As we approach the weekend, I’d like to invite you to pray for 3 things:

1. Student Camp - our middle and high school students head to Shocco Springs Friday for a jam-packed weekend of fun, games, and spiritual emphasis. Pray for our ministry team and all our leaders. Pray for health and safety for everyone in attendance. Pray that our students would openly receive and respond to whatever God wants them to do.

2. Southern Baptist Convention - each year SBC messengers from all over the nation gather to support and send missionaries. We worship, learn, and vote on issues that keep our convention aligned with God’s Word. Pray for our team of messengers, our thousands of missionaries, and continued unity in our denomination. God has remained faithful to us, and we want to remain faithful to Him. I look forward to giving you a good report when we return.

3. This Sunday we will kick off a new series of messages called “Big Questions”, where we’ll tackle some tough issues that many people are skeptical about today. What happens when you die? Is there really a hell? Do we really have free will if God is sovereign? Is Jesus the only way to God?

I Peter 3:15 (NIV) tells us, “...Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."

I believe this series will strengthen our faith within us and our witness around us. Pray that God uses this series to strengthen the hearts and minds of our church family.

It is going to be a great Summer, and I look forward to spending it serving our Lord Jesus with you! Have a wonderful weekend!

Love in Christ,
Pastor David

05/28/2026

I Corinthians 11:28 - Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

This Sunday we will share in the Lord’s Supper together. This is a solemn opportunity to remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, where He paid the ultimate price for our sins. I want to take a moment to encourage you with a few thoughts as you prepare your heart for this special service.

- The Lord’s Supper is not just a ritual. It is a sacred practice... a time to remember God’s amazing grace through the gift of His Son.

- The Lord’s Supper is an opportunity for self-reflection. It is a chance to examine our hearts and allow God to lead us away from any wicked way within us and back to Him. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and lead you as you reflect. Be prepared to deal with anything He reveals to you.

- The Lord’s Supper is chance to come together with other believers... to unite in a spirit of thanksgiving, love, peace, and joy. Take advantage of this time... if anyone has anything against you, reconcile with them if possible before coming to participate.

I look forward to remembering and celebrating with you this coming Lord’s Day at 6:00 PM! Please know that I’m praying for you and I’m here if you need me.

Love In Christ,
Pastor David

Send a message to learn more

05/22/2026

Our Island Students spent time loving where they live by praying over and packing 5th grade graduation goodie bags for the students at Dauphin Island Elementary School 🤍 We love seeing students serve their community with intentionality and kindness!

05/22/2026

We will see you at 6PM this Sunday! 🌊🤍

05/21/2026

Church of the Island family,

Psalm 91:14 – Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him...

When you dial 911, are you ok if someone answers 80% of the time? Not me! I’m thinking a 100% response rate for an emergency help line is a reasonable base expectation.

The Lord has always been faithful. Whenever we call out to Him, He picks up the phone. But time after time we miss God’s call. We attend church, give, and serve faithfully but feel like something’s missing and we just can’t put our finger on it. Eventually, we wear out and wind up back at the feet of Jesus. Why? Because “without Him, we can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Trying to be a Christian can be exhausting when all God wants is for us to hold fast to Him in love. As I prayed for you today, my hope is that you relish in God’s incredible love for you. Call on Him... He will answer. And hold fast to Him in love.
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Here are some important upcoming events for you to add to your calendar:

Summer Service Time Change | Memorial Day Weekend THIS Sunday May 24 - 6PM

Discover COI | Sunday May 24

Lord’s Supper | Sunday May 31

MoneyLife | June 3-July 29 - Wednesdays at 6:30PM – In this 8-session study led by Brian Young, you will learn biblical principles that will help you experience financial freedom. Email [email protected] to sign up.

Student Camp | June 5-8 - Middle school and high school students from all our campuses will join together for a can’t-miss experience at Shocco Springs. Cost is $299 with a $75 deposit due at signup. Get details and sign up your student at https://www.cottagehill.org/camp! To sponsor or request financial support for your student, please email our Island Student Pastor, Matt Goins at [email protected].

Summer Jam - June 15-17 - Summer Jam is an exciting, can’t-miss experience packed with high-energy worship, impactful teaching, games, crafts, and SO MUCH MORE! Summer Jam is open to all who have completed Kindergarten through 5th grade and is sure to be the best week ever! Pre-register your child today at churchoftheisland.com/summerjam!

Have a great weekend and I’ll see you Sunday at 6PM!

Love In Christ,
Pastor David

05/15/2026

Church of the Island Family,

In 1 Samuel 12:23, the prophet Samuel says, “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you.”

Samuel doesn’t just see prayer as a good habit; he sees neglecting prayer as a sin. That’s a powerful shift in perspective. Prayer isn’t optional in the life of a believer; it’s essential.

Samuel had every reason to feel frustrated with the people of Israel. They had rejected God as their king and demanded a human ruler. Yet instead of withdrawing, Samuel commits to pray for them anyway. This shows us something important: prayer is not based on whether people deserve it, it’s based on our obedience to God and our love for others.

Prayer does three things:
· It aligns our hearts with God’s will
· It intercedes for others when they cannot or will not pray for themselves
· It keeps us spiritually responsible for the people God has placed in our lives

When we stop praying for others, our family, coworkers, friends, or church; we disconnect from one of the most powerful ways God works through us.

Who in your life needs your prayers right now, even if they don’t deserve it or don’t ask for it?

Let’s stay connected to God and one another through the power of prayer,

Ricky Watt
Bay Family Pastor

05/12/2026

Mother’s Day at COI! 🤍

05/08/2026

YOU are invited to join us THIS SUNDAY for Mother’s Day at COI! 🤎

Whether you haven’t been to church in a while, have never been before, or are just looking for a place to belong, we’d love to welcome you.

Come celebrate with us through worship, community, and a special evening honoring moms and families.

Join us at 5PM, we can’t wait to meet you!